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Audience
All users of the Lincompute Cluster.
Introduction
The LinCompute Cluster provides UT Austin students, faculty, and staff access to a set of Linux remote servers and software. Permission does not need to be granted to access the server; anyone with an active UT EID will be able to connect.
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R is available system wide. It is also available via R Studio by using a web browser and going to https://lincompute.cns.utexas.edu/ (login with your UT EID credentials).
FAQ
Q: Why do I get "Permission denied, please try again" or other error trying to login to the cluster via ssh, or an application via the web?
A: This is usually due to providing the wrong user name or password, or providing the username in the wrong format. Please enter just your UT EID, without any domain information. Also, try entering your UT EID username in all lowercase.
Q: Why can’t I ssh to the cluster from off campus or from Dell Medical School?
A: Per a directive from the UT Information Security Office (ISO), ssh access using passwords from outside the UT campus network has now been blocked unless using the UT VPN service. Networks at Dell Medical School are not part of the UT campus network, so also require use of the UT VPN service. You can access LinCompute from off-campus by either using the UT VPN service, or setting up public key authentication.
Q: How can I transfer files in or out of the cluster?
A: You can use the ssh-based tools scp or sftp to transfer files between machines. You can also use a web browser running on the LinCompute machines to download or upload files from web-based services such as UT Box. Please note that WinCompute and LinCompute share the same storage so you can easily access files between those two systems without any transfer needed.
Q: Why can’t I run a GUI (Graphical User Interface) application when I login via ssh?
A: X-Windows is the display rendering (windowing) system used on Linux/Unix computers. X11 is the protocol used by X-Windows; it specifies how an application window is to be rendered (e.g. a series of lines, boxes, polygons, colors, etc, etc). The application creates a series of such steps according to the X11 protocol specification. The receiver (the X11 client) reads and follows those steps to render an image in its local environment.
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If you invoke ssh explicitly from a Mac Terminal session or Linux terminal session, use either -X or -Y to connect to the LinCompute Cluster; the -X or -Y enables forwarding of the X11 commands to the X-terminal). On Windows, you configure PuTTY to use X11 forwarding automatically when you open a session.
Q: Why are remote GUI (X11) sessions so slow?
A: X11 is not a very efficient protocol, and your remote network speed can greatly effect the rendering speed of GUI applications. Using VPN may slow it down even more. If you need high performance GUI access, it is recommended that you connect from on-campus rather than off-campus.
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